1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to knee protection devices and more particularly pertains to a new knee protection device for supporting the weight of a person while the person is kneeling so that the knees of the person are not subjected to the weight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of knee protection devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,599,748 and 3,025,526 illustrate the more common approach for the protection of knees while performing tasks which require kneeling. These devices generally are coverings that are placed on the knee to dissipate the amount of direct pressure that is placed on the knees. While helpful, these devices do not ultimately prevent knee injuries and only mediate the pain associated with doing such tasks.
For this reason the need remains for a device that completely removes the weight of the person from the person""s knees to ensure that the knees are not subjected to the pressures incurred during kneeling. Also, such a device should re-direct the pressure to another portion of the body which can better sustain the weight.
The present invention meets the needs presented above by including supports which direct the weight of the user back to the waist so that the weight of the person is not being supported by the knees when the person kneels.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new knee protection device that includes a leg receiving member for further adding in the comfort of the device by putting the weight on the waist and crotch area of the person.
To this end, the present invention generally comprises a girdle for selectively positioning around a waist of the person. Each of a pair of elongated supports has an upper end and a lower end. Each of a pair of feet is attached to one of the lower ends. Each of a pair of straps is attached to one of the supports for selectively securing each of the supports to one of a pair of legs of the person. Each of a pair of brackets is attached to the girdle such that the brackets are positioned on opposite sides of the girdle. Each of the upper ends of the supports is pivotally coupled to one of the brackets. The girdle is positioned on the person such that the feet are positioned below and in front of each of a pair of knees of the person. The feet support the person""s weight when the person is in a kneeling position.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.